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Trump again refuses to condemn QAnon

A person wearing a QAnon sweatshirt at a Trump rally in New York City on Oct. 3. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

President Trump said during NBC's town hall event on Thursday that he does not know much about QAnon, the sprawling, far-right conspiracy theory, and refused to condemn the baseless theory.

Why it matters: The FBI identified fringe online conspiracy theories, like QAnon, as domestic terrorist threats in 2019. The group falsely alleges a secret cabal of sex traffickers and pedophiles is waging a war against Trump from inside the government.

What he's saying: "I don't know anything about QAnon," Trump said when asked by "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie whether he would denounce the conspiracy theory.

  • "I'll tell what you I do know about, I know about antifa and the radical left and how violent and vicious they are, and I know how they're burning down cities run by Democrats."
  • "Let me just tell you what I do hear about, it is they are very strongly against pedophilia and I agree with that. I do agree with that very strongly."
  • Trump said, "I don't know that," after Guthrie pressed the president on whether he believes there is a satanic cult being run by Democrats.

Of note: The president did condemn white supremacy outright on Thursday evening, echoing comments made at the start of October.

The big picture: The president has repeatedly struggled to denounce the conspiracy theory, and even gone so far as to praise QAnon supporters. But he consistently says he isn't familiar the theory.

  • Trump refused to answer a direct question on whether or not he supports the QAnon conspiracy theory during a press briefing on Aug. 14.
  • He said during another press conference on Aug. 20 that he doesn't know much about the fringe conspiracy theory, but that he understands its supporters "like me very much" and that they "love America."

Go deeper: QAnon's 2020 resurgence

Go deeper

Kyle Daly
Jan 7, 2021 - Technology

The Capitol siege's QAnon roots

Trump supporters outside the Senate chamber. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Wednesday's assault on the U.S. Capitol was an appalling shock to most Americans, but to far-right true believers it was the culmination of a long-unfolding epic.

The big picture: A growing segment of the American far right, radicalized via social media and private online groups, views anyone who bucks President Trump's will as evil. That includes Democrats, the media, celebrities, judges and officeholders — even conservatives, should they cross the president.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Bryan Walsh, author of Future
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Cracks in nuclear command and control

An atomic bomb test in Nevada in 1957. Photo: © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to members on Friday that she's spoken to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley about preventing President Trump from accessing the nuclear codes.

Why it matters: Pelosi's message surfaced an uncomfortable reality about America's nuclear control structure: if the president wants to use nukes, there is no clear way to stop him.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Vaccine: Biden to release nearly all available vaccine doses to the public — Why some experts want to relax vaccine prioritization — Fauci says COVID variants threaten some treatments more than vaccines.
  2. Politics: Manchin says he will "absolutely not" support $2,000 stimulus checks — Biden's one-two stimulus punch.
  3. Economy: U.S. markets unbothered by Capitol insurrection— Job losses suggest labor market's "dark days" could return.
  4. World: U.K. reports highest daily COVID-19 death toll since start of the pandemic and approves Moderna's vaccine for emergency use — Countries begin to line up for Chinese and Russian vaccines.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow